Pelosi Doubles Down On Stupid, Claims Nadler’s "right", this is a constitutional crisis
“The administration has decided that they’re not going to honor their oath of office.”
This cynical strategy of
shouting “constitutional crisis!”, which is clearly aimed at appeasing pro-impeachment progressives, will backfire by stoking their desire for impeachment instead. Even friendly outlets like
CNN have taken to asking Democratic guests why, if the White House’s refusal to comply with subpoenas is really a “constitutional crisis,” they don’t just impeach Trump already. Democrats seem to have no good answer except to mumble vaguely that “we’re not there yet” or that “there are other options.” Pelosi was asked about it in her presser today too.
Quote: “Impeach or nothing — it’s not that. It’s a path that is producing results and gathering information.”
She’ll get back to you. In the meantime, please enjoy some complimentary heavy breathing about a “constitutional crisis” instead.
Democrats are serious about this?
Here’s one, I guess:
Mr. Cummings also said Democrats should consider “inherent contempt” — the congressional power, last used in the 1930s, to jail officials who defy subpoenas. Mr. Connolly, who leads an oversight subcommittee, agreed.
“We should be putting people in jail,” Mr. Connolly said.
Imprisoning cabinet officials would be hard to reconcile the crocodile tears that were shed in 2016 over Trumpers chanting “Lock her up” about a political opponent with literally
jailing the Attorney General of the United States for making the sort of executive privilege claim that every presidential administration eventually ends up making.
Keith Whittington, a Princeton professor who’s writing a book on constitutional crises, knows a stunt when he sees one:
Nadler feels the need to elevate a relatively routine dispute over the scope of executive privilege into the last gasp of democracy. Only if the House gains access to the last few sentences under redaction in the Mueller report can America be spared the collapse of the republic and the ascension of a “monarchy.” Only if Attorney General William Barr can be cross-examined by committee staff in a public hearing will we be able to avoid Donald Trump making “himself a king.” Someone has been watching too much Game of Thrones.
Politicians have become incentivized to declare constitutional crises because it enhances their own importance as saviors and demonizes their opponents as illegitimate. The rhetoric of constitutional crisis attempts to short-circuit routine constitutional processes and justify extraordinary and extraconstitutional responses.
